Think Outside the Box When Looking for a Job

Standard job boards and searches are no longer effective, reporter David Migoya states in a Feb. 3 Denver Post article ("New Way Forward" pg. 7B). As the article notes, fewer than 10 percent of all jobs are found on job boards, and 80 percent of job seekers focus their efforts there. So, how can you, the Metro State Alumni, increase the likelihood of finding a job?

According to Migoya and the various experts he quoted in the article, you need to think outside the box and look for different solutions. While you still need to have excellent writing and interviewing skills, you also need to be able to market yourself.

"The key is in personal marketing, selling yourself to a specific job with a specific set of criteria," writes Migoya. He then continues to encourage job seekers to focus on being specific about how to really help a company by making and saving it money and minimizing its risks.

These are good suggestions. You certainly need to be able to convey how you can help your potential employer. But how can you actualize Migoya's suggestions? First, consider creating what Metro Alumni and owner of Your Brand Plan David Sandusky calls a "personal brand plan." You need to know exactly what you are all about--what your expertise is, what jobs you are looking for, etc. If you clearly understand your personal brand, you will be able to convey that brand to potential employers.

Once you create your personal brand, find ways to convey that brand to potential employers. Hands down, the most effective and affordable way to do this is through social online media platforms such as: Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Flickr, YouTube, Blogger, etc.

Not only can you create profiles on these free sites, but you can also network extensively with former colleagues, classmates, friends, and really anyone and everyone who shares an interest or industry with you. You can post your resume along with articles you have written or accolades you have won. On some sites you can even request that people recommend you. As well, you can position yourself as an expert by commenting on subjects you know a lot about. The options are limitless, and the only commitment is time. But if you have that free time now, what do you have to lose?

As Sandusky stated, "People who aren’t engaging their community in conversation and developing their network are going to find it difficult to do business in the future." Social media, he adds, is required for an individual's ability to be successful. So, figure out who you are and what your expertise is, and then spread the word in the best, most viral way possible--by utilizing online social media platforms.

See "Personal Brand: marketing may be the key to finding a job during hard times" for more info.